Ink delivery regulating device for printing press ink fountains



Feb. 14, 1950 E. w. WORTHINGTON 2,497,648

mx DELIVERY REGULATING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS INK FOUNTAINS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1944 f 20 iwxnaw-raw 62710 3 Wrf/wggfan Feb. 14, 1950 w, woRTHlNGTON 2,497,648 INK DELIVERY REGULATING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS INK FOUNTAINS Filed Sept. 16, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 r-ron aya Feb. 14, 1950 E. w. WORTHINGTON 2,497,648

INK DELIVERY REGULATING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS INK FOUNTAINS Filed Sept. 16, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet s W 67054 QMnQQyZozg Feb. 14, 1950 Y E. w, wo T 2,497,648

INK DELIVERY REGULATING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS INK FOUNTAINS Filed Sept. 16, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 (Smog omw/zm m 7 M 7% PM Feb. m ca) 2,497,543

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INK nsnvnr IHGULL'HNG DEVICE ron IIIH'IING mass INK muu'rms mmwmmmmu Gslrhflnghenconpanmmll a mils-ell MWILMSGBINQMH'I 1 'lhepesmtmventknpertainsprimarllyto adiustmenttorprintingpresink allthroughtheuseofannifledcontrolstation' asinelemanmlopera e llkeandsetoiselectorswhichmanitdesired, beiocatedsomedistanoefromthefmmtamasfor example in a convenimt waist-high position at onesideotthemandwhlchrequireshuta singleoperatingshaftrunningbacktothefountain,ascontrastedwiththemultipleshattarrangements with one fliaft for each adjusting device inthe ioimtain heretoiorecmnmonlyused andshown,for example,inS.G.GossPatent No. 869,237, issued October 29, 19!".

Another object is to provide an t of the character indicated above which aiiords optionally available individual adjustment of therezulatingdevieesatthefoimtain.

Another objectis to provide such anarrangementinwhichthechangesinadjustnent eflected atthecontrolstationaretotheoperator not only visually but preferably also through thesenseottouch. Inotherwonk,theoperator canbothseeandieelthechangesheismaking.

Still another object is to provide an adjusting mechanism for printing press ink fountains in which provision is made for selective coupling ofadesiredoneormoreoiapress-wideseriesoi columnaraddustingscrewsortheliketoasmgle drive shaft throughtheuseotaeoupling arrangement which obviates the ty of moving either the driving or driven elements when couplingthem,inoontrastwithanordmaryc1utch. and which is operated by simple. low-cost and low-power tsot iheformoommonly p oyedi rflflfl.

Further objects and advantagesoitheinventionwiilbecomeapporentastliefollowingdeseriptiontakenincimnectlonwiththe accomp ny! drawinainwhich:

Flgurelisaviewoiarotaryprintingpressimitequippedwithadjustimapparam thepreoentinvmflonandarranxedto oontrolthedeliveryoflnkimtheinkioimtain Oisuchunit.

2 Fig.2isanelevatiomtakenfromtheomtml panelsideottheimitofmJ.

Fig.3isamoreorlessview.

showingon 31 scalethespaeingoithe 5 ioimtainrollerwithreferencetoitscooctingiihn regulatingbladeandpick-uproller.

Fle.4isanenlarzediaceviewotoneoithe conimlpanelsoftheunitotllgalandl.

Fig.5isasectionalviewtakensnhstantially alongthelineS-iinFigJandalsoshowinga portionoftheshaiting.totheoperating knobtedwiththepanel.

Figjisasimplifledwirinediagramforaportionoitheswitchesontheoontrolpanel.

u Fig.7isairagmentaryplan viewoitheadiustingmappliedtotheinkfountainsofthe printingnnitofFigs. iandz.

PigJisaneniargedfragmentarysect-ionalview tskensubstantiallyaiongthelineL-linl'la.2

. through the housing for the adjusting mechanism located above one 01 the ink fountains, and one or the being removed to expose thehracketwhichstandsbehhidit.

rigjisatransversesectionalviewtakensub gstantialbalongthelineHinl'igJ.

Fig. ioisafragmentaryperspectiveviewshowing one of the adjusting screws, its mociated actuating gearing and control electromagnet.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail view of the adimtmentmechanismdrlveshaitandgearing carried thereby, with the latter partially sectionedalongthelineiliiinl'ig.9.

While the invention is susceptible of various and alternative constructions, I haveshowninthedrawinxsandwillherein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but

itktobeunderstoodthatldonottherebyintend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed. but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spiritandscopeottheinventionasm theplatecylindersbyinkingmechankminclud inguinal llandtowhlchinkislnhlrnuimed by respective ink supply mechanisms designated generally as l6.

Various forms of ink supply mechanisms may be used in press units of the style indicated, although in some aspects the present invention is particularly concerned with the illustrated type employing a fountain roll carrying an ink film of regulated thickness picked up by a closely adjacent non-contacting pick-up roll. Each supply mechanism l herein shown includes anink fountain l6 suitably mounted upon the press framework in position to extend transversely across the lower portion of the appropriate end of the press unit. In each fountain I6 is a rotatively driven fountain roller i1 partially Submerged in a bath of ink whose level is indicated at H. The ink is taken from the fountain roller I! by a pick-up roller I9 frictionally driven from the lowermost one of the series of inking rollers H with which the pick-up roller runs in direct contact. The fountain and pick-up rollers I1, I! are spaced apart by a small clearance of the order of a few thousandths of an inch. By precision regulation of the thickness of the ink film on the fountain roller the rate of delivery of ink to the pick-up roller and thence to the inking mechanism may be accurately determined. Moreover, by diminishing the thickness of the ink film on the fountain roller to an amount less than the clearance between such roller and the pick-up roller, the delivery of ink to the latter may be stopped altogether. The clearancebetween the fountain and pick-up rollers is indicated by c in Fig. 3, while 1 indicates the thickness of ink film on the fountain roller.

To regulate the thickness of the ink film on the fountain rollers ll, one or more resilient, laterally flexible blades 20 (Figs. 3, 8 and 9) are employed. Such blades are located with their free edge portions extending longitudinally of the associated fountain rollers and overlying the peripheral portions of the latter which carry the ink film from the ink bath to the pick-up rollers. Any desired number of such blades may be used for each fountain roller, four of them arranged endto-end being desirable in a newspaper press of the general style illustrated, since the latter is commonly adapted to receive a paper web W of four-page width, and each of the four blades may thus be of one-page width. In the present instance the blades 20 are shown as clamped by a' longitudinally extending retaining strip 2| fixed by screws 22 to the underside of a channel-shaped housing 23. The latter is in turn bolted at its ends to the respective ends of the fountain l6 in position to extend longitudinally above the latter. The otherwise open outer portion of the top of the fountain is closed by a suitable cover 24 hinged on the housing at 25 (Fig. 9).

Adjusting screws 26 (Figs. 8, 9 and 10) serve to vary the displacement of thew'edges of the blades with reference to the fountain rollers II to alter correspondingly the thickness of the ink films on the latter. Desirably one such screw is provided for each columnar width along the length of the blades or, in other words, a presswide series of thirty-two screws is used in the present instance to accommodate a four-page width with eight columns per page. The screws 26 are generally normal to the side faces of the blades 20 opposite the fountain rollers l1, being threaded in appropriately spaced tapped holes 21 in the bottom of .the housing 23 with their rounded noses 26a bearing against the underlying faces of the blades so that by threading the screws in or out the blades may be flexed accordingly. The screws are disposed in a series transversely of the press unit, being arranged'in a single line for each fountain in the present instance (see Fig. 1). Each of the blades 20 is suillciently flexible that a portion thereof of substantially single column .width on the press may be flexed laterally by the corresponding adjusting screw throughout the range of movement required without materially affecting the laterally adjacent portions of the blade operated upon by the adjacent adjusting screws in the series. It will thus be seen that by turning the individual adjustingscrews 26 the amount of ink delivered to corresponding columnar portions of the press may be varied with nicety and precision.

The present invention makes possible highly accurate and fully selective rotational adjustment of any desired number of the screws 26 by a single driver which is operated and selectively coupled to the screws by controls which may be located at a point more or less remote from the fountain. Although such-driver may be revolved either by power or by hand, manual operation is preferred since it makes it possible for the operator to feel the successive increments of adjustment imparted as will hereinafter appear in detail. Similarly, it is preferable to provide a separate control station for each half of the press unit in order that the operator in using the same may conveniently observe the hereinafter described visual indicators whiuh show the prevailing positional adjustment for each of the several screws 26.

In the instant embodiment two control stations or sets of controls, designated generally as 28 (Fig. 1) are provided for respective ones of the two sets of adjusting screws 26 and are located at the same side of the press unit. Since the twocontrol stations are identical, a description of one will sufllce for both. As here shown (see Figs. 1, 4 and 5) each such station 26 includes a single manual operating knob or handle 29 and a group of selector switches 66, one of the latter for each adjusting screw. In brief, the arrangement is such that the operator has only to snap on the desired one or ones of the selector switches to connect the operating knob 29 drivingly to the corresponding screws for rotational adjustment of the latter in accordance with turning of the knob. The operator is thereby relieved of the necessity of stooping down to floor level for the tedious and exacting adjustment of the numerous individual adjusting screws.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the righthand control station 28 there shown comprises a panel Ii fixed to the press frame in slightly inclined position and carrying the selector switches 36. The latter are enclosed at the rear side of the panel by a suitable housing I2. The selector switches may be ordinar double-pole, two-position tumbler switches of the snap-acting type having operating handles 30a. The panel 3| bears suitable identifying numbers beneath each switch handle correlating the same with the corresponding adjusting screws, and also bears appropriate indicia of the on" and "oif positions for the switches.

The operating knob 26 is pinned to a stub shaft 33 journaled in a bracket 34 and projecting through a suitable aperture beneath the group of selector switches II so as to be readily available for manipulation in conjunctionwith these switches. A single drive shaft 36 (Fig. 8) is used for imparting motion derived from the 8 operatingknob-lltoselectedonesoftheadlusting screws 2'. In the present instance such shaft projects longitudinally through the housing 23, being iournaled in suitable bearings (not shown) at opposite ends of the latter. An

axially aligned extension shaft 30 is coupled to the forward end of the drive shaft (see Fig. 1), being connected at its forward end by' bevel gears 81 (see also Fig. to an upright shaft SI, and the latter is in turn connected by bevel gears withthestubshaftllcarryingthe operating knob II.

In order that the operator may be apprised through sense of touch of the amount of angular turning movement imparted to the knob or handwheel If, a detent arrangement is employed for releasably restraining this knob in succesive angular positions. In the present instance a detent ball 4| (Fig. 5) is received in a bore4linthebracketl4andisurgedbya compression spring 42 against the face of a disk 43 rigid with the hub of the knob. A circularly arranged series of recesses 44in the inneri'ace of the disk are engaged by the ball one after another. Such r are'spaced at equal angular distances about the rotational axis of the knob as, for example, twelve recesses each thirty degrees apart. Consequently the operator hasthe feeling of step-by-step indexing or notching of the operating knob when turning the same and can, through experience, calibrate his adjustments in terms of the numher of "notches that he turns the knob to attain a particular degree of color intensity.

Identical individually engageable couplings are provided between the drive shaft 15 and each of the series of adjusting, screws 26 with which it is associated (see Figs. 8, 9, l0 and 11). Each of these couplings comprises a drive gear 4' and a companion driven gear 48 of the same number of teeth and pitch diameter disposed side-by-side on the drive shaft. Both the driving and driven gears are shown as spur gears. The drive gears 45 are in each instance fixed to the drive shaft, being integral with sleeves 41 pinned thereto, while the driven gears 46 are loose on the shaft, being integral with sleeves 4| freely journaled on the shaft. The sleeves 41, 4| telescoped on the drive shaft alternate with each other in an end-to-end series restrained against axial movement as a whole with reference to the shaft. Freely revoluble spur type coupling pinions 4! are provided for coupling the drive gears to their companion driven gears to revolve in unison therewith. Each pinion is broad enough for simultaneous mesh with its associated pair of driving and driven gears and is bodily movable in a direction generally transaxial of the latter into and out of mesh with the same.

To swing the coupling pinions 49 into and out of mesh with their associated pairs of gears 45, 46, such pinions are Journaled on pins it extending transversely across the bifurcated inner ends of levers 5| pivoted at 52 on brackets Ila (Figs. 9 and 10). The pinions are thus located beneath the associated pairs of gears to swing upward into mesh therewith or downward out of mesh. The opposite or outboard ends In of the levers ii are elongated and serve as armatures coacting with associated operating electromagnets 58. Both the levers ii and brackets 53s are made of steel or other ferrous metal for completion of the electromagnet flux path through them. Each electromaanet comprises anenergislng winding l4 encircling an upright central core I44 which underlies the outboard end of the g lever'll.

Torsion springs Il may, if desired, be arranged to surround the mounting pins If for the levers II (Figs. 8 and 9) and yieldably urge the latter to tilt in (direction for disengagement of the coupling pinions 40 from their associated gears 4|, 4. (counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 9). Toswingtheleversinan opposite (in this case upward) direction for movement of their coupling pinions into gear-engaging position, it is necessary merely to energize the associated electromagnet l3, thereby rocking the levers Ill clockwise from the position indicated in Fig. 9.

To preclude the possibility of any such interference between the teeth of the pinions 4| and their ted gears 45, 46 as would preclude proper mesh on approach of the pinions to the gears, pointed teeth are preferably used. In addition, the addendum of one gear in each pair is desirably slightly less than that of the other although their pitch diameters are the same.

The tion of each electromagnet 53 is under the control of a corresponding one of the selector switches 3| on the panel 3|. Shifting of each selector switch It to its on" position connects its associated electromagnet actuating winding 54 across a pair of suitable supply lines Ll, L! (Fig. 6), whereas restoration of each switch to its "off" position open-circuits such winding. The extra contacts on the switches 30 are used to control a pilot lamp 56 for the bank of switches, such lamp being wired as shown so that whenever any one or more of an associated groupperceived that it obviates the use of axially shiftable clutch elements as, for example, on the drive shaft 35, both the driving and driven gears on the latter shaft being restrained against endwise movement at all times. The problem of backlash incident towear of clutch teeth is eliminated since the coupling pinions 49 retain the teeth on the driving and driven gears 45, 46 in registry whenever meshed therewith, even though such teeth may become worn in use. Moreover, the arrangement is such as to require so little power on the part of the electromagnets 53 in moving the coupling pinions 48 into mesh that simple, low cost relay magnets such as those illustrated may be employed instead of the more powerful solenoids commonly required for operating clutches. A winding drawing 35 milliamperes at 32 volts has been found adequate for present purposes. Two factors in the arrangement contribute to this low power requirement. First of all, the lever arm about the pivot pin 52 of the outboard or armature portion of the lever 5| is substantially greater than that of the inboard portion carrying the pinion. Secondly, and of even more importance, the component of the load force on the meshing pinion and gear teeth tending to separate the pinion from the gears is but a small fraction of the load. With conventional Lit teeth on the pinion and gears such component is only approximately one-seventh of the tangentially applied load component. Consequently, only a comparatively light pull by the electromagnets 53 is required to retain the associated pinions in meshing position.

Drive connections from each of the driven gears 66 to their associated adjusting screws 26 are desirably established through worms and worm gears 61, 66 (Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11). In the present instance the worms 61 are fashioned on the sleeves 46 of the driven gears, whereas the worm gears 56 are impositively coupled to the adjusting screws b friction or slip type connections. By utilizing self-locking or non-reversible worms and slip type connections as noted, it is possible to turn the screws 26 individually by hand without rotating the wormsand worm gears associated therewith, and it is also possible to arrest positively the rotation of individual screws by limit stops hereinafter described without stopping rotation of the worms. In the instant embodiment the slip type connections include coilars 69 pinned to the intermediate portions of respective screws, the worm gears being abutted against the upper faces of such collars with the worm gears freely revoluble on the screws. Springs 60 interposed between the upper face of each worm gear and a pair of adjusting nuts 6| threaded on the associated screws press the worm gears into frictional contact with the collars to turn therewith except when a worm gear is positively held a ainst rotation by its associated worm, or a screw held against further turning by one of its stops hereinafter described. Such springs 60 are made of resilient sheet metal, being centrally apertured for passage of the screw therethrough, .and are of cruiciform shape with their laterally projecting arms curled downward and inward to bear against the upper faces of the washers 60a resting on the worm gears. This general type of compression spring is particularly advantageous, as compared to a coil spring, in that it has no tendency to wind up during rotational adjustment of the screw as would a. coil pring.

A second leaf type spring 62 (Fig.8) is located on the opposite or lower side of each of the collars 59 and serves to urge the adjusting screws 26 yieldably upward to prevent play of the screws in the tapped holes 21. Thesesprings 62 each comprise a retcangular strip of metal centrally apertured to receive the screw and having downwardly bent ends resting on the face of a pad 66 provided in the housing 23.

Laterally projecting finger grips 64 pinned to the upper ends of the adjusting screws 26 perform three different functions. First, they serve as a convenient grip for turning the screws by hand, such manual adjustment being optionally available in lieu of operation from the control stations 28, second, they serve as position signals for the adjusting screws, and, third, they coact with pairs of stop pins 65, 66 to limit positively the range of adjustment for the screws. In the present instance such stop pins 65, 66 are shown (Figs. 7, 8 and 9) as fixed to a cover plate 61' closing the top of the housing 23 and are spaced to limit the rotation of each adjusting screw to less than one full revolution, the permitted range of movement being approximately ninety degrees for each screw in the illustrated arrangement.

The range of rotational adjustment for the screws 26 permitted by the stops 65, 66 is carefully correlated with the permissible range of movement for the film regulating blades 20. In actual practice the s acing between the fountain and pick-up rollers l1, I! (Fig. 3) is of the order of .006 or .007 inch and the stops 65 which determine the nearest approach of the blades to the fountain rollers are set for a spacing of about .001 or .002 inch between blade and roller.

8 spacing at the other or oppomte limit position of the blades determined by the pins 66 is of the order of .015 to .020 inch. With a portion of one of the blades 20 in its limit position for minimum clearance from the fountain roller, such portion is spaced a lesser distance than the clearance between the fountain and pick-up rollers. Consequently, the ink film on the fountain roller is so thinned by that portion of the blade that there is no transfer to the pick-up roller in that zone, the feed of ink being therebycut 01! for a width on the press equal to the length of the portion of the blade so spaced. The blade is, however, even insuch zero ink delivery limit position, still spaced from the fountain roller so that there is no actual contact between the two. the wear and abrasion which would be incident to contact being therefore avoided. The maximum spacing position of the blade from the fountain roller corresponds substantially to a 3 flooding condition for the fountain roller. The

- screw travel is, howevenso selected with reference to the blade travel that the screw will not leave contact with the blade before coming in contact with its corresponding upper limit stop 66. In other words, the screw comes up against the stop 66 before the blade quite reaches its straight or completely unflexed position. In that manner play or idle screw movement which would be necessarily attendant upon (the screw leaving contact with the blade is precluded.

It will be perceived that the dimensional requirements for the adjustable spacing of the blades 20 with reference to the fountain rollers I! are such that great nicety and precision of adjustment are requisite. It is for that reason that the heretofore described arrangements for minimizing backlash or play between the parts of the adjusting mechanism are of particular importance. Moreover, the described arrangement is such that a turning movement of large magnitude for the operating knob 29 is used in moving the blades through their range of but a few thousandths of an inch, the turning movements of the screws 26 being, in other words, fractionally proportionate to turning of the knob 29. As to that, it will be noted that the ratio of connections shown from the operating knob 26 to the drive shaft 35 and thence to the worms 5! is 1 to 1. The worms and worm gears 51, 66 are ratioed, however, to give a substantial reduction as, for example, 20 to 1. If then the adjusting screws have, for example, a 24 pitch thread, each full revolution of the operating knob 29 results in a blade movement of only Operation The operation of the illustrated apparatus will. in general, be clear from the foregoing. By way of brief recapitulation, it may be asumed that the press unit I0 is running. The operator observes the printed matter delivered by the press from time to time. Whenever he finds that some particular column or columnsneed to be increased in color intensity, he has only to go to the appropriate control station. flip the selector switches 30 to their on positions for the columns in question and turn the operating knob The 29 in the direction marked "Increase." As he amp eitherevmttheihrowingoftheseiectedswitches I to thdr on positions energizes the correspmiding electromagnet actuating windings ll, thmebyeausingtheelecl! toswing screwsiitothedriveshaftfl forturning ofthescrewawheniheoperatorturmthelatter shafigbytheoperatingknob.

oneofthebankofselectorswi inPigu!) theassociatedsignallamp liisl fi ted. therebywarningtheoperatortimtoneofthe windimsilisstillonsothathewillnotgoaway and leave it, or, more important, start to make an adjustment when some previously actuated selector switch is "on" and that he might not otherwise have noticed. The positions of the handles Sla of the several selector switches a imiimtevisuallyatalltimestheparticularadjusting screws which are conditioned for actuaiionfrunthecontrolstationandthosewhich are disabled agaimt such actuation. While making the adjustments described, the operator can conveniently watch the finger pieces 84 on the upperendsoftheseriesofadjustingscrewsand whichaetassignalfiagstoshowcontinuously the positions of angular adjustment of thevarioms screws.

Insomeinstancestheoperatormaydesireto cut out-of service an entire page width of the was unit. For that purpose the operator has only to throw the appropriate selector switches 3| forthatpagetotheir"o "posiflonsandthen turn the operating knob 23 in the "Decrease" direction imfll the finger pieces SI of the selected seriesofscrewsallcomeupagainsttheirlower iimitstopsii. Evenifsomeoftheadjusting screws in the selected group reach their stop position before the others being turned, the operatormngorlghtontumingtheoperatlngknob 2! without interruption since the frictional or slip type connections between worm gears 58 and the screw-miedcollars iiwillthereafterpermitthe worm gears of flie stopped screws to continue ro-' tation without imparting further motion to the screw or screws which have abutted against their hip Inasimilarmanner,ifitisdesiredtorestore ali oftheadjustingscrewslttolikeanglflarpositions for some reason, that can be accomplished by turning on all of the selector switches and flienrotatingt-heoperatingknobauntilthe finger pieces 64 of the whole series of screws have come up against a like one of their available pair of limit stops 65, $6. Normally the screws would be turned to their aero delivery limit position for suchran'poseratherthantotheotheroriiooding limit position. Simultaneous increase or decontributestoeaaeofweration. Incest-male. iftheplatesareehanuedmthemtoltinta mplseinlieu'olawant-ldpageotam'eviouseditiomitisneomarytoincreasetheinking forthefullpage. Thatcanconvenimtlybedone hereinsimplybyshiftlngtood'theselector switches'tlforthemtirepageinquesticnand mrningtheknobfltherequiredamount.

Prevention of so-c'alled "blade buckling is facilitatedbythedisclosedarrangunent. Inthe trol of the inking through manual adjustment of the individual screws 28. Each screw can be turnedbygraspingitsflngerpieceflandturning the same. Even though the worm I1 associated with a screw so turned should at the moment he coupledtothedriveshaftllstillnoturning movement would be imparted to any other screw likewise coupled to the drive shaft became of the self-locking character of the worm and worm wheel combinations '1, 58. Being self-locking or non-reversible. the worm wheels cannot turn the worms, wherefore the worm wheels remain stationary during the rotation of the screws relative to them permitted by the slip connections at it. It.

I claim as mv invention:

Linanadiustingmechanismi'oraprinting press ink fountain having a revoluble fountain roller and a laterally flexible blade extending alongthesameforregulationoftheinkfllm thickness on said roller in accordance with lateral fiexure of the blade toward and from the latter, the combination of a support extending longitudinally of the blade and having a series of adjusting screws threaded therein to bear against a side face of the blade generally normally thereto for lateral flexure of said blade in accordance with the endwise displacement of said screws incident to rotation thereof, positive stop means coacting with each of said screws for limiting the rotation thereof to a fixed angular distance correlated with the permissible range of fiexure of said blade with reference to said roller, a drive shaft, and means including individual slip pe drive connections for connecting each of said screws in driven relation with said shaft.

2. In an adjusting mechanism for a printing press ink fountain having a revoluble folmtain roller and a laterally flexible blade extending along the same for regulation of the ink film thickness on said roller in accordance with lateral aeaseintheinkingforafullpogewidthoften T fiexureoi'thebladetowardandfromthelatter.

11 the combination of a support extending longitudinally of the blade and having a series of adjusting screws threaded therein to bear against a side face of the blade generally normally thereto for lateral flexure of said blade in accordance with the endwise displacement of said screws incident to rotation thereof, a radial projection on each of said screws and rotatable therewith, and positive stop means coacting with each of said projections for positively limiting the rotation of the screws in the turning of the latter in a direction therefor which results in flexure of the blade toward the fountain roller.

3. In an adjusting mechanism for a printing press ink fountain having a revoluble fountain roller and a laterally flexible blade extending along the same for regulation of the ink film thickness on said roller in accordance with lateral nexure of the blade toward and from the latter, the combination of a support extending longitudinally of the blade and having a series of adjusting screws threaded therein to bear against a side face of the blade generally normal thereto for lateral fiexure of said blade in accordance with the endwise displacement of said screws incident to rotation thereof, positive stop means coacting with each of said screws for limiting the rotation thereof to a fixed angular distance correlated with the permissible range of flexure of said blade with reference to said roller, a drive shaft, selectively operable means for coupling selected screws in driven relation with said shaft, and slip type connections interposed in said coupling means between each of said screws and said 'shaft to permit turning of the latter after motion of any screw or screws coupled to said shaft has been arrested by their stop means.

4. In an adjusting apparatus for the ink delivery mechanism of a printin press unit, the combination of a press-wide series of rotatably adjustable devices arranged at intervals across the press for severally regulating the ink supply to corresponding columnar portions of the press unit, a control panel including means for mounting the same on one side of the press unit and having thereon a plurality of selector switches corresponding to respective ones of said devices, a single drive shaft extending along said series of devices in adjacency thereto and transversely of the press unit, means operable in accordance with the manipulation of said selector switches for coupling and uncoupling respective ones of said devices to said drive shaft, mechanical stop means associated with each of said devices for positively limiting the range of angular adjustment therefor, slip type connections interposed between each of said devices and said drive shaft to permit continued rotation of the latter after a stoppage of one or more of said devices by their associated stop means, and means operable from a point adjacent said panel for effecting rotation of said shaft.

5. In an adjusting apparatus for the ink delivery mechanism of a printing press, the combination of a series of movably adjustable devices arranged at intervals across the press for severally regulating the ink supply to corresponding columnar portions of the press over a multi-page ing movement of said devices, and means including slip type drive connections for shifting any selected page-wide group of said devices simul- 12 taneously toward their zero delivery position and stop means for automatically arresting individual ones of the group upon their arrival at such zero delivery position to cut out of operation a pagewide section of the press.

6. In an adjusting apparatus for the ink supply mechanism bf a printing press, the combination of a series of manually adjustable devices arranged at intervals across the press for severally regulating the ink supply to corresponding columnar portions of the press, each of said devices being adjustable between a zero ink delivery limit position therefor and an opposite or maximum ink deliverylimit position, means for effecting individual adjusting movement of said devices, and means including slip type drive connections for shifting any selected group of said devices simultaneously toward either of their alternatively available respective limit positions and stop means for automatically arresting the movement of individual ones of the group upon their arrival at such limit position.

7. In an adjusting mechanism for a printing press ink fountain having a revoluble fountain roller and a coacting blade extending along the same and which is laterally flexible with reference to the roller for regulating the thickness of ink film on the latter, the combination of an adjusting screw, means threadably supporting said screw in a position generally normal to a side face of theblade for lateral flexure of the blade by the endwise movement of said screw incident to rotation of the same, a drive gear freely journaled on said screw, means frictlonally engaging said gear and screw to connect the same impositively for rotation in unison so long as both are free to turn and permitting slippage therebetween when either is held against rotation, and positive stop means coacting with said screw for fixedly limiting the rotation thereof to an angular distance correlated with the permissible range of flexure of the blade with reference to the roller.

8. In an adjusting mechanism for a printing press ink fountain having a rotatable fountain and pick-up rollers disposed in parallel relation with their peripheries spaced apart a distance of the order of a few thousandths of an inch and a laterally flexible blade projecting toward said fountain roller for regulating the thickness of the ink film on the latter, the combination of means including an adjusting screw threaded in a fixed support adjacent said blade and bearing against a side face of the latter for flexing said blade laterally to adjust the thickness of said ink film, positive stop means coacting with said screw to define alternate limit positions therefor in one of which the blade is flexed so far toward said fountain roller as to diminish the ink film on the latter to less than the spacing between the pick-up and fountain rollers while still retaining the blade out of contact with the latter and in the other of which limit positions the blade is sprung far enough away from the fountain roller for substantial flooding of the latter but with said screw still in contact with the blade, a drive shaft, and a slip type drive connection associated with said drive shaft for revolving said adjusting screw whereby continued opera tion of the drive shaft without further rotation of the screw is permitted after engagement of the latter with said stop means 9. In an adjusting mechanism for a press ink fountain having a revoluble fountain roller and a coacting blade extending along the same and which is laterally flexible with reference to the roller for regulatlng the thickness of ink film on the latter, the combination of an adjusting screw having an operating handle adapting the same for manual rotation, means threadably supporting said screw generally normal to a side face of the blade for lateral fiexure of the blade by the endwise movement of said screw incident to rotation of the same, a worm gear Journaled on said screw coaxially therewith, a self-locking worm meshed with said worm gear for revolving the latter, positive stop means coacting with said screw for fixedly limiting the rotation thereof and to an are correlated with the permissible range of fiexure of the blade with reference to the roller, and means frictionally connecting said gear and screw for rotation in unison while both are free to turn and permitting either to turn relative to the other when such other is positively held against rotation, whereby said screw may be turned manually while said gear remains stationary due to the self-locking action of said worm thereon or said gear turned by said worm while said screw is held stationary by said stop means.

10. In an adjusting mechanism for a press ink fountain having a revoluble fountain roller and a coacting blade extending along the same and which is laterally flexible with reference to the roller for regulating the thickness of ink film on the latter, the combination of an adjusting screw, means threadably supporting said screw generally normal to a side face of the blade for lateral fiexure of the blade by the endwise movement of said screw incident to rotation of the same, a drive gear freely journaled on said screw, said screw having a collar rigid therewith presenting a'face opposed to an end face of said gear, a sheet metal spring interposed between said collar and the opposed end face of said gear, said spring being positioned to thrust against said gear and force said opposed faces of said collar and gear into frictional contact with each other to establish an impositive connection between the collar and gear, and positive stop means coacting with said screw for fixedly limiting the rotation therwf to an are correlated with the permissible range of fiexure of the blade with reference to the roller.

11. In an adjusting mechanism for a press ink fountain having a revoluble fountain roller and a coacting blade extending along the same and which is laterally fiexible with reference to the roller for regulating the thickness of ink film on the latter, the combination of an adjusting screw, means threadably supporting said screw generallynormaltoasidefaceofthebladefor lateral fiexure of the blade by the endwise movement of said screw incident to rotation of the same, said screw having a collar rigid therewith intermediate its ends, a. spring interposed between said collar and said support yieldably urging said screw endwise in one direction irrespective of its'rotation to prevent end play of said screw in said support, a drive gear freely journaled on said screw on the opposite side of said collar, means including a second spring positioned to bear against said gear and force the latter into frictional contact with said collar for connecting the same impositively for rotation of the screw in unison with the gear so long as the screw remains free to turn and permitting slippage of the gear with reference thereto when the screw is held against rotation, and positive stop means coacting with said screw for fixedly limiting the rotation thereof to an angular distance correlated with the permissible range of fiexure of the blade with reference to the roller.

12. In an adjusting mechanism for a printing press ink fountain having regulable means for delivering ink, the combination of means including a rotatable member for adjusting the rate of delivery of said regulable means in accordance with the angular displacement of said menber, stop means coacting with said member to limit positively its adjustment in at least one direction, together with a slip type drive connection to said member for turning the same.

13. In an adjusting mechanism for a printing press ink fountain having regulable means for delivering ink, the combination of means including a threadably mounted member for adjusting the delivery rate of. saidregulable means in accordance with the axial displacement of said member incident to rotation thereof, mechanical stop means coacting with said member for positively limiting the rotational adjustment thereof in at least one direction, and a slip type drive connection to said member for turning the same.

EMORY W. WORTHINGTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 270,886 Bittenbender Jan. 23, 1883 326,215 Hawkins ..1 Sept. 15, 1885 367,526 Jaeck Aug. 2, 1887 828,667 Kathe Aug. 14, 1906 869,237 Goss Oct. 29, 1907 877,679 Taylor Jan. 28, 1908 965,244. Spalckhaver July 26, 1910 1,006,938 Harriss i. Oct, 24, 1911 1,273,498 Kaddeland July 23, 1918 1,275,642 Bechamn Aug. 13, 1918 1,336,841 Kelly Apr. 13, 1920 1,699,468 Fowler Jan. 15, 1929 1,760,578 Wood May 27, 1930 2,078,520 Wolf Apr. 27, 1937 2,183,720 Lougee Dec. 19, 1939 2,322,162 Schmidt June 15, 1943 2,344,397 Drexler et a1. Mar. 14, 1944 

